Abstract
In addition to lightweight and moldable characteristics, polymeric foams possess an excellent energy absorbing capability that can be utilize for a wide range of commercial applications, especially in the crashworthiness of the automobiles. The purpose of the present study is to develop experimental methodology to characterize the pressure dependent yield behavior of the energy absorbing polymeric foams. For the compression test in a triaxial stress sate, a specially designed device was placed in a hydraulic press to produce and control oil pressure. For the test material, the polyurethane foams of two different densities were used. The displacement of the specimen, the load subjected to the specimen, and oil pressure applied to the specimen were measured and controlled. Stress strain curves and yield stresses for the four different oil pressure were obtained. It was found from the present experiments that the polyurethane foams exhibited significant increases in yield stress with applied pressure or mean normal stress. Based on this observation, a yield criteria which included the effect of the stress invariant were established for the polymeric foams. The obtained experimental constants which constituted the pressure-dependent yield criterion were verified.